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mercurymom - Mercurymom on a mission

City: Amory
State: MS
Country: USA
Member since: Nov 26, 2007
Last logged in: Nov 24, 2008

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Mother, ABA, Auditory Integration Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy

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mercurymom's Page URL

http://www.foggyrock.com/MyPage/mercurymom

mercurymom's Bio

Hi, you have found mercurymom..thus named after finding mercury in my son in 1996..and wondering WHERE did it come from?? It became my mission and passion to get to the truth. Along the way I have met some wonderful parents and childern. I am the Mom of two spectrum boys, one on each end. One with aspergers, one with regressive autism and vaccine damage. My passion is writing on the subject of raising these guys, and on bio-med information. My other passion is SUPPORT THE TROOPS!

I am open to questions and will to help anyone who ask..find me at my space as..you got it...mercurymom. Nice to meet you all...Cheryl A. Bailey

Favorite Blogs (2)

An ironic start to Autism Awareness Month

Talk about irony... today, April 1st, is the 1st day of Autism Awareness Month, ...Read more

By janneane7 on 04.01.08
Comments(4)

our story

AUTISM
Category: Life

we have ended up in the world of Autism because of...Read more

By recoveringwishes on 04.02.08
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mercurymom's Blogs

Why God Made Moms...smile..

by mercurymom on 11/20/2008

You are bound to see yourself in at least one of theses...

WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questi...

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You are bound to see yourself in at least one of theses...

WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of ?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of m ean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty boss y.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and no t me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

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McCain support parents choice on vaccines...

by mercurymom on 10/24/2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rebecca Estepp Claudine Liss
858-829-6454 310-970-2485
MilMom2000@... dineliss@...
McCain Supports Parental Vaccina...

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rebecca Estepp Claudine Liss
858-829-6454 310-970-2485
MilMom2000@... dineliss@...
McCain Supports Parental Vaccination Choice and Prioritizes Vaccine
Safety
Obama Silent Despite Repeated Overtures From Parents
Poway, CA, October 23, 2008 - Rebecca Estepp is a military spouse and
the mother of two boys, including a vaccine-injured child with
autism. Her husband, a Marine, has served three war-time deployments
in the past five years. "You would think the war would be the most
important issue to me, but it‟s not. The war will be over at some
point but the effects of vaccine damage will last for generations."
Estepp cites the neurotoxins injected into American babies and
expresses deep concern about the injury and damage they may be
causing, saying "It weighs heavily on my heart."

For these reasons, Estepp made and sent a two-minute video
entitled "Vaccine Safety Requests For Our Next Commander-in-Chief" to
the two Presidential candidates in May 2008. She made a plea for our
next President to issue two Executive Orders within the first one
hundred days of entering office; the first, removal all mercury from
all vaccines by January 1, 2010, the second, a moratorium on the
addition of new vaccines to the recommended list for children until
the current vaccine schedule can be proven safe. Says
Estepp, "Children deserve to be protected from diseases that can harm
or kill them but we need to be sure that in our efforts to prevent
disease, we haven‟t created lifelong chronic illness and
disabilities."

On October 20th, Estepp received a detailed response from Douglas
Holtz-Eakin, a senior policy advisor to the McCain campaign. Vaccine
safety is officially on the McCain agenda. If elected, McCain said
he "will work with all agencies to take all necessary steps in an
expedient manner to ensure safe vaccines for every American family."
And, significantly, McCain also endorsed parental vaccination choice.
In response to the new vaccine moratorium request, McCain
offered: "The key to health care reform is to restore control to the
patients themselves." The full text is provided in the October 23rd
post on Age of Autism (AoA) www.ageofautism.com
In contrast, Team Obama has declined to officially clarify its
position. Estepp is disappointed: "When asked about vaccine safety,
he wrote a general autism position statement and didn‟t even mention
the word vaccine." A copy of his letter to Rebecca Estepp is provided
in the same AoA post. The words "vaccine safety" are not found in any
Obama campaign materials or speeches.

Taking matters into her own hands, New Jersey parent Claudine Liss
attended an Obama fundraiser with the express intention of getting an
answer. Liss explains, "I shook his hand and would not let go until
he answered my question. He looked right at me and said, „I am not
for selective vaccination. I believe it will bring back deadly
diseases, like polio.‟" Liss and many others are declining to
vaccinate their children using the CDC-recommended schedule. New
Jersey parents are furious about the first-ever mandated flu shot
required for day care and preschool. Seven hundred people rallied in
Trenton last week in support of vaccination choice. The freedom of
choice issue resonates deeply and has made national news, with
coverage on Fox News TV, ABC World News Tonight and an Associated
Press article that was picked up by dozens of papers across the
country.

Estepp extends a final plea to Senator Obama to clarify his
position: "This is a party-neutral issue and many of our parents are
waiting to make up their minds. Senator McCain says parents have the
final say in how they vaccinate their children. Senator Obama appears
to disagree. I sincerely hope that Senator Obama misspoke that night
in New Jersey and he lets us know before November 4th."

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More about Jenny..

by mercurymom on 10/22/2008

Sorry, I tried and tried to respond to the Jenny post, but it wouldn't load...here is my take...

I am truly sorry you feel as you do towards Jenn...

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Sorry, I tried and tried to respond to the Jenny post, but it wouldn't load...here is my take...

I am truly sorry you feel as you do towards Jenny. I am one of the original members of Generation Rescue, one of the Mom's who was out there talking, trying to get the press to hear us, working with parents to recover, yes I said it and I mean it, recover their children, helping raise money to pay for the ads Generation Rescue ran. I am nobody, but I did what I could. Then long comes Jenny, we helped her as we do ANYONE that ask for help. It was not just she had the money to recover her son, all the money in the world was not the answer, knowing WHAT to do was! Many people do bio-med on a shoe string, I know, I am one. (BTW, she took out a loan to pay for this, she isn't as rich as you think, then shot a commercial where she faked looking happy and sexy during the takes all while dying inside wanting to be with her son, not at work, but like all of us, she did what she had to do to pay the bills.)

When things worked for Evan, rather than crawl in a hole and go enjoy her life with her son, she chose to stand up for me, tell my son's story when she went public. Jenny is not just telling her story, but the stories of many, many of us. Yes, we needed that shot in the arm to get the word out, children ARE recovering, it can be done. She has gotten press where we never could. Thanks to Jenny, I can now walk into any new paper office or tv station with my credentials and people fall over me wanting an interview. How sad it took Jenny to open doors I was banging on for years, but she did it and I just riding her coat tail with pride. I couldn't care less HOW doors opened, or who did it, I just care I can get to the press now.

You do need to read Warrior Mother's. You will find that Jenny gave voice to many parents that would never have been heard if not for that book. You will find people just like yourself and like me...the unknowns who fight and make it...and the last story...you will read the courage of a family that lost their child to vaccine damage. We NEED to be heard over vaccines, too many too soon and the results are sick, disabled children. We are being heard too, now, fifteen years after my son was damaged for life.

I too had to quit my job, separated from my husband, cope with mounting bills and poor guidance on this walk. That's why I am with GR today...I know this journey and I can cut red tape for parents and I can help couples get therapy to cope and I can help with the money issues with ideas that helped us. That's why Jenny is with GR as well..because she has been there, not to bring glory to herself..but to HELP OTHERS! How many people have helped their child thanks to her?? I don't know..but I do know one  recovering right now and the Mom gives Jenny the credit for reaching her. This Mom call ME after reading Jennys book and finding my name on the website and ask for help. I know the impact Jenny had on that family where the standard medical community did nothing for this child. One child is worth all the unkind remarks to me...and to Jenny..just ask her, she is quite open, funny, loving and very caring about autism and our childern.

Give yourself a break from her face on the news stands and when you are feeling better, please pick up a copy of Warrior Mothers, and learn about other unknowns out there...in the battle....normal people..ones you will relate to.

Blessing in light and love..in the fight...

cheryl  bailey  generation rescue angel

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Supplment list.

by mercurymom on 10/06/2008

This is by no means complete or all that's out there..just a few off the top of head and I'll try to ad more later. Also this is NOT advise just to pa...

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This is by no means complete or all that's out there..just a few off the top of head and I'll try to ad more later. Also this is NOT advise just to pass on what some vitamins or minerals or amino acids are for and why some people choose to use them. PLEASE seek care in giving your child any supplement. Many of these work better in a combined fashion, and are sold as such. Hope this helps, I'll try to ad more as the week goes on and I have more time...Cheryl :)

Vitamin A-vision, immune system. Low iron, or magnesium effect A.

Biotin- in the b family of vitamins, breaks down carbohydrates, helps support balance in intestinal flora

Vitamin C- Boost immune system-antioxidants inhibits growth of candida, aids in wound healing.

Vitamin D- promotes calcium absorption in the gut and calcium transfer across cell membranes, aids in absorption of magnesium, iron and zinc helps muscle strength.

Cod Liver Oil- Natural source of vitamin a, used for behaviors, awareness and immune system function.

Evening prim rose oil- supports prostaglandin in the body, blood clotting and synthesizing cholesterol.

5-HTP- natural mood enhancer, increases brain serotonin levels, regulates moods, appetite, melatonin production.

GABA- gamma aminobutyric acid neuro transmitter, blocks nerve impulses

L-carnitine- necessary for fatty acid metabolism adn energy production helps with low energy levels and muscular weakness...may help with mental clarity.

L-carnosine- antioxidant, neuro transmitter, detoxification, shows promise in helping emotional control, abstract thinking, expressive speech.

L-glutation- gastro-intestinal support, immune system support.

Lithium- may help with: manic depression, conduct disorders, self abusive behaviors, aggressive behaviors.

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New paper story on several families.

by mercurymom on 09/29/2008

http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=279599&pub=1

I am the Cheryl Bailey vaccine warrior in this..not much of what I actually said made it ...

Yea for Seth McKinley!

by mercurymom on 08/31/2008

I got my ad for Care clinic out of the mail box today and was reading through it..and what did I find...but one of our own, Seth and his Prayer for Ca...

Miracle is spelled "J"

by mercurymom on 08/26/2008

Sunday afternoon I handed John a magnadoodle. Much to my surprise, he attempted to scribble without my hand over hand help. All day Sunday and Monday ...

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Sunday afternoon I handed John a magnadoodle. Much to my surprise, he attempted to scribble without my hand over hand help. All day Sunday and Monday he worked on scribbling. At times I would take him to the door we have painted with chalk board paint and hand him over sized chalk to "mark" with. He did, again without my hand over hand guidance. While I was getting supper on the table, I handed him the magnadoodle and made a J, this time just the hook part, no top on it. I told him that one reason I like the name John, was it was only three shapes to spell, a fish hook, circle and a line and hump, one tall for h and one short for n. He grinned and took the magnadoole back to this room. I sighed out loud, sixteen, and he cannot even write his name. A very simple name at that. Oh well.
A few minutes later I walked into his room to find John on the bed, magnadoodle in his lap. 
"Let's go eat." I said to him. He sat still, smiled and held up the magadoodle. At first I was blank...then it hit me...the three fish hook J's in the far corner, I had not made, or helped him make them. I looked at John, "You did them, you wrote a J, you have not done that in 14 years!"
John smiled, got off the bed, glanced at his work, and headed for the kitchen. I stood very still, staring at his first attempt to write and let the tears flow down my face. Miracle, I decided at that minute, is simply spelled, "J".

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One way to understand it

by mercurymom on 08/24/2008

"Mom, what does it mean when John does this?" Aaron put his index and middle finger of one hand against the tips of the other index and middle finger....

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When it's no longer autism..

by mercurymom on 08/03/2008

Anyone here reached the point of it's no longer autism, but delays, losses from vaccines,life time of growing up disabled ect. that is what's you chil...

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Anyone here reached the point of it's no longer autism, but delays, losses from vaccines,life time of growing up disabled ect. that is what's you childs issues?

I have spent the last month working with autistic kids on many levels and ages..and what I took away from it most of all...John's autism is more of less recovered..what's left...lack of physical skills, lack of speech...that's it. He has eye contact, comprehension, desires, sense of humor, but he is still a disabled person. I do not think he will ever be able to speak again..3 strokes...and he is unable to even make a sound. He knows that, he knows he cannot scream for help, or call out to us, so he stays close to people, he fears being lost. He can sign a bit, but again, the physical skills are holding him back. He longs to do school work and learn..it's as if he cannot get enough from books and we spend hours catching up there. ANYONE?? now what? I feel so lost. I understood stimming and pinching and screaming and hair pulling...now I have a nice calm teen in jeans and a polo shirt..thats as lost as ever..because lack of communication keeps him from peers...so do his physical issues..odd place we have entered here... and I wonder...will he keep recovering..or is this as good as it gets? I can live with that. I lived with a poop covered house didn't I?

Yes, I do still see the autism but its odd, I see it when he is near people who stress him or are unkind or say things about him. He will withdraw at that point and pull back into himself. It is as if it is a form of protection..and we have to coax him back to us when it happens..

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Restaurant apologizes...

by mercurymom on 07/09/2008

Restaurant apologizes for kicking out family
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 8, 2008 | 11:23 AM ET Comments101Recommend59
CBC News

A national resta...

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Restaurant apologizes for kicking out family
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 8, 2008 | 11:23 AM ET Comments101Recommend59
CBC News

A national restaurant chain has apologized to the family of a girl with autism who was kicked out of one of its Edmonton locations on Saturday for being too noisy.

Sarah Seymour said her five-year old daughter, Eowyn, had been screaming and kicking because she was upset her favourite food wasn't on the menu at the Smitty's on Stony Plain Road in Edmonton's west end.

"We were approached by the waiter, who informed us that there was another patron at the restaurant who was refusing to pay for their food unless Eowyn was removed," Seymour said.

Seymour said the family was asked to leave, despite her attempts to explain her daughter's condition to the supervisor.

Mike Seymour, the child's father, said staff should have handled the situation with more sensitivity.

"The first question should have been, 'Is there any way we can help?' not 'Can you please make your child leave,' " he said.

On Monday, the president of Smitty's Canada expressed his alarm about the incident.

"When a situation like this arises, it's definitely a shock to the system," Chris Manderscheib said. "So we want to make sure that we've addressed it, making sure we educate ourselves as well."

The company has apologized to the family and says it is going to raise money for autism research.

Sarah Seymour said the family is satisfied with the company's apology.

An independent franchisee owns and operates the west end Smitty's restaurant.

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The Final Frontier

by mercurymom on 07/04/2008

Yesterday I was rushing about to get John out the door on time to pick up this brother from work. All day John had run about in sock feet, no shoes. I...

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Yesterday I was rushing about to get John out the door on time to pick up this brother from work. All day John had run about in sock feet, no shoes. I sent him to get on his shoes and heard my Mom saying “Go get the other shoes John, one is not enough.” I stuck my head into the kitchen where they were and noticed Johns sock was on inside out. I laughed, “Mom did you help him get his sock on?” My Mom looked bewildered, holds up her disabled crooked arm and says, “Yea, I can’t even get my socks on, and you think I have the ability to help him? I guess he put that sock on inside out.”
“Mom, promise me you didn’t help him.”
“No, I can’t you know that.”
“Then, you just witnessed a miracle, for the first time in his entire life, John has put a sock on!”
“Really? I thought he could dress himself?” Mom ask looking surprised.
“All but socks, that’s why he wear slip on shoes or sandals in the summer, he has never been able to put on his socks, but now, he can dress himself 100%...just in time for his sixteenth birthday.”
So today we in America celebrate Independence day, it really is independence day for us at our house. The final frontier of socks have been conquered, and for the first time ever, I can skip the job of putting socks on my son myself. I am not sure which one is of us more excited about this accomplishment, me or John. Now like his shorts and shirts, he will more than likely wear them inside out, but I don’t care at all, what counts most to me...he did it himself!

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John update and THANK YOU ALL!

by mercurymom on 06/03/2008

Thank you all for the love and care shown to John during this new regression. It has hit us hard..but we are seeing some positives in him. He can unde...

Green Our Vaccines Rally info

by mercurymom on 04/05/2008

Green Our Vaccines Rally
With Jenny McCarthy & Jim Carrey

RALLY INTRODUCTION &
GENERAL INFORMATION

Please join Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carr...

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Green Our Vaccines Rally
With Jenny McCarthy & Jim Carrey

RALLY INTRODUCTION &
GENERAL INFORMATION

Please join Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey for the most historical event of 2008, the Green Our Vaccines Rally. Jenny and Jim are working hard to eliminate all toxins from our children's vaccines and have our national health agencies reassess the mandatory vaccine schedule, as our children are receiving TOO MANY, TOO SOON. While Jenny and Jim support the vaccine program, like many, they feel vaccines are too toxic. This country has the ability to provide a safer vaccine supply and schedule to our children and they ask you to join them to demand this for our country's greatest asset, our children.

Who: Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey, sponsored by Talk About Curing Autism (TACA), Generation Rescue and HEAL 
What: A March and Rally to give everyone who loves a child with Autism a day for their voices to be heard.

When: June 4, 2008 
9:00 a.m.

– Gather in DC (see March info below)

10:00 a.m.

– March (PROMPT START TIME)

12:30 p.m.

– RALLY CONCLUSION

Where: Washington, DC 
Why: Demand Congress take action to Green Our Vaccine Supply while reassessing our current vaccine schedule. Ask Congress to reenact legislation that would eliminate mercury and other toxins from our children's vaccines, study the instance of Autism and other neurological disorders in vaccinated versus unvaccinated children, and to extend the statute of limitations to allow all children affected by vaccine induced Autism to file in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP).

How: You must register online to attend the Rally.

Is this date & location confirmed: YES. Permits and policy participation for this important event have been secured. This venue is safe for parents and children to attend. Register online.

March:

We will start lining up for the March at 9 a.m. at the corner of 4th Street SW, and C Street SW, just past the Holiday Inn Parking (Colonial Parking).

There will be a large number of people, so it is very important for all marchers to be on time so we can assemble and go over instructions. We will be in motion at 10 a.m.

For those who cannot march, you can meet us at the rally site in front of the of the Capitol Building, West Capitol Grounds. There will be a team of rally staff, that will be easily identifiable, to guide you and inform you of all marching rules and regulations.

It is vital that you register for the March and Rally.

Stay Tuned with the LATEST RALLY INFO:

Join the JennyDcAutismRally Yahoo! Group for the latest in updates and news as it relates to the rally.

Arrange carpool, ask other state representatives questions, etc!

How to Join? Send an email to: JennyDcAutism-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Questions: Please email us at GreenOurVaccines@aol.com

Special thanks and appreciation to the team of volunteers & family participation to make this event happen beyond words. Thank you.

Let's show our gratitude to this courageous couple, Jenny & Jim, who are working so hard to support our cause in honor of our children, by attending the Green Our Vaccines Rally.

This is the day our voices will be heard.

So let's join together and be LOUDER THAN WORDS.

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CDC under siege...from the Huffington post

by mercurymom on 04/05/2008

CDC Under Siege

http://www. huffingtonpost. com/deirdre-imus/cdc-under-siege_b_94720. html

Posted April 2, 2008 | 04:45 PM (EST)
Andrew Spe...

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CDC Under Siege

http://www. huffingtonpost. com/deirdre-imus/cdc-under-siege_b_94720. html

Posted April 2, 2008 | 04:45 PM (EST)
Andrew Speaker Tuberculosis, Autism, Autism Vaccine Mercury, Autism Vaccines, Cdc, CDC Cancer, Centers For Disease Control, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, David Kirby, Gerberding, Hannah Poling, Hannah Poling Autism, Health, Public Health, Tb, Tuberculosis, Breaking Living News

When American scholar Warren Bennis said, "Bureaucracies are beautiful mechanisms for the evasion of responsibilities and guilt," he might well have been speaking of the current state of affairs inside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Once revered around the world, hardly a month passes without another news report questioning the credibility, scientific independence, and integrity of the nation's premier health agency.

Over the past four years headlines frequently chronicle a disturbing litany of allegations charging top CDC officials with wasting money on questionable research priorities, public relations stunts, distorting or ignoring health concerns raised by their own scientists, and retaliation against those who object to the censorship of scientific findings.

The past three years have been particularly unpleasant for CDC Director, Dr. Julie Gerberding, but apparently not as bad as she and her managers are making it for many CDC scientists.

In 2005, alarmed at the rapid decline in morale and concerned for the credibility of the agency, five former CDC directors sent Dr. Gerberding a letter complaining that the agency's politicization was jeopardizing its national and international reputation.

You would think criticisms like this would result in a re-evaluation by top CDC officials, but apparently not. The frustration of long time officials was raised again in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) article, "Exodus, Morale Shake CDC" (Sept. 10, 2006). The article quotes Dr. Stephen Cochi, an advisor in the CDC's Global Immunization Division, who said, "The capacity of the CDC to [tackle public health problems] has seriously eroded in a very short time...The American people need to be concerned.

As troubling and often embarrassing revelations continued to plague the CDC, some believed the agency is simply an example of bureaucratic incompetence. Others, inside and out, suggest something far worse. Accusations about manipulation of research data, suppression of safety information, even suggestions of scientific fraud has created a "crisis in confidence" among CDC officials, resulting in scientists leveling harsh criticisms regarding the agency's priorities and asking if its actions, or inactions, are actually putting the public's health at risk.

Chief among the complaints from scientists and citizen's groups has been the way the agency continually disputes, downplays or ignores scientific findings, often from some of their own researchers, and fails to draw any conclusions, or "links," between environmental/industrial pollution and chronic diseases affecting the American public, particularly children.

These criticisms have been voiced for several decades. An example of how the agency can design a study so that it fails to link disease and pollution can be found in the way the CDC investigated the cancer clusters in Fallon, Nevada and Sierra Vista, Arizona. In a 2006 article published in The Tucson Weekly, the CDC's "foot-dragging" and unscientific methods used to investigate the clusters raised serious questions about the study's integrity and the agency's credibility and commitment to protecting the public's health. In describing the CDC's slow reaction to the life and death situations, it is not difficult to see how many would level accusations of "cover-up" to describe the "faulty manner" in which the agency responded to the cluster investigations.

The CDC itself admits the agency repeatedly fails to identify, or connect, environmental chemicals to these clusters. Quoting from the CDC website, "From 1961 to 1982, CDC investigated 108 reported cancer clusters in 29 states and 5 foreign countries...The studies were begun in hopes of identifying a viral cause of cancer clusters. During these investigations, however no clear cause was determined for any of the reported clusters.

Two of the latest in a long list of reported controversies dogging the beleaguered agency involves the delayed disclosure of a 400-page study conducted in the Great Lakes region and the demotion of the study's chief scientist, Christopher De Rosa, a director of the CDC's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) since 1992.

Released in early February by the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit journalism organization, the study found exposures to PCB's, lead, mercury, dioxin, pesticides and other toxins may have caused "low birth weights, elevated rates of infant mortality and premature births, and elevated death rates from breast cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer.

In an article accompanying the study, "Great Lakes Danger Zone," reporter Sheila Kaplan, interviewed Canadian biologist Dr. Michael Gilbertson, one of the study's reviewers. Dr. Gilbertson explained, "The whole problem with all this kind of work is wrapped up in that word 'injury.' If you have injury, that implies liability. Liability, of course, implies damages...The governments, frankly, in both countries [US and Canada] are so heavily aligned with, particularly, the chemical industry, that the word amongst the bureaucracies is that they really do not want any evidence of effect or injury to be allowed out there.

In response to the CDC's handling of the report, Michigan Representatives John Dingell, Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Bart Stupack, Chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee launched a congressional investigation charging the agency with a "Cover-Up." In a statement released on February 28th 2008, Chairman Dingell wrote, "If the administration has willfully withheld a report from the public, it raises questions about whether they are putting the public health at risk and about the scientific integrity of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The release of the Great Lakes study comes on the heels of new accusations charging top CDC officials with down playing cancer risks posed by formaldehyde exposure found in the 144,000 trailers purchased by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

In a February 8, 2008 article in the AJC, "CDC under investigation over Katrina cancer risk," investigative journalist Alison Young reported the House Committee on Science and Technology has begun investigating "disturbing allegations" of improper suppression of "critical information" and "also looking into whether the Atlanta scientist who sought to make the risks public has been the subject of retaliation by the agency." This individual would be the same CDC scientist leading the Great Lakes study, Dr. Christopher De Rosa.

The article cites a letter sent to Director Gerberding from the Committee's chairman and two other subcommittee chairmen stating, "The agency's conduct has called into question its ability to investigate public health hazards accurately and appropriately in the future." Again, suggestions that liability, rather than the health of the people living in the trailers, seemed to be the primary concern of FEMA and CDC officials.

Cleaning up toxic chemicals in the environment can cost businesses a great deal of money. Liability for the diseases caused by these chemicals can cost business even more money. Today's political climate, inside the CDC and out, is not interested in holding corporations accountable for anything, even allowing toxic pollutants to poison our children. This would explain why we have a nation of sick kids and why only a few in government seem interested in doing anything about it.

And if the suppression of safety data and intimidation of agency scientists raising health concerns were not bad enough, the CDC also stands accused of hyping certain health threats and terrifying the public in the hope of benefiting from the "fear" campaigns. Sandwiched between the Great Lakes and FEMA trailer "cover-up" reports, another article by the AJC asks "Did CDC hype TB case as a fund-raising ploy?" (March 13, 2008).

The article chronicles the hysteria created over 31-year-old Atlanta attorney, Andrew Speaker, a man CDC officials diagnosed with XDR TB five months after an agency "strategy" session focused on obtaining more funding for the rare and deadly form of TB.

According to the article, "The handling of the Speaker case was so unusual that it has raised questions among other TB experts, including whether CDC publicized Speaker's case in a quest for more money.

While the CDC's Media Relations Director Glen Nowak maintains "the agency's actions were justified," the agency "has refused for nearly seven months to release documents under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) about any role the agency's XDR TB funding strategy played in its handling of the Speaker case." As it turns out, Speaker didn't even have the deadly XDR TB. All that hype and the young man had a different, "more treatable" form of TB all along.

It's a little disturbing that the world's leading health agency would misdiagnose the type of tuberculosis this man has. Makes you wonder how often situations like this are sensationalized way out of proportion and sending the public into a panic.

Anyone remember monkeypox? When was the last time you heard about that? And what has become of that deadly bird flu that dominated the news for about a year? Ever notice how the urgent predictions of impending disaster disappear after the CDC gets a big boost in funding from congress to combat these diseases?

We know every year the CDC and health officials claim 36,000 people die from influenza. This little piece of propaganda is spread annually by medical reporters on all the morning and nightly news programs. But does anyone ever ask these so-called "experts" to prove this statistic? No...talk show hosts and medical reporters just regurgitate the "talking points" with no interest in accuracy.

For anyone interested, investigative journalist Kelly O'Meara actually did ask "how does the CDC arrive at its numbers of deaths related to influenza?" In an article for the Washington Times Insight Magazine, CDC spokesman Curtis Allen admited the 36,000 deaths "are not 'real' numbers" and are actually nothing more that a computer generated guess. "There are a couple problems with determining the number of deaths related to the flu because most people don't die from the influenza...We don't know exactly how many people get the flu each year because it's not a reportable disease and most physicians don't do the test [nasal swab] to indicate whether it's influenza.

In a follow up article "A Shot In the Dark - Part I," using the CDC's own data, O'Meara found "The greatest number of actual inluenza deaths recorded since 1979 were 3,006 in 1981.

I found both these stories with a simple Google search, something medical reporters and their interviewers might want to try. (Flu Secrets You Should Know 2/3/04).

Although never held accountable for these misrepresentations, top CDC officials have consistently shown themselves to be quite creative at exploiting certain health threats, like TB, influenza and bird flu, when it suits their purposes, and ignoring other health threats, like childhood cancer and autism, when it doesn't.

How do they keep getting away with this stuff?

No where has the CDC's credibility suffered more than in the way it has responded to questions about vaccine safety, and if vaccines are associated with increased rates of autism. When you study the way the CDC has responded to the autism epidemic you will see a very similar pattern of behavior as what occurs when the CDC investigates cancer clusters. Their studies never find a "link" or an "association" because that is what they are designed to do.

For years thousands of parents have maintained their healthy, normally developing children regressed into autism following vaccinations. And for years the CDC has vehemently denied any evidence of an association. The debate has been the subject of thousands of news stories with neither side backing away from their steadfast positions.

On March 6, however, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution carried a front-page headline: FIRST AUTISM-VACCINE LINK: HOW HANNAH MADE HISTORY.

The article details an admission by the federal government, that Hannah Poling, a nine-year-old Georgia girl, was harmed by the nine vaccines she received at 19 months, after which Hannah became autistic. The leaked landmark concession was actually filed last November 9th but the decision remains sealed even though Hannah Poling's parents have asked that the documents be made public. There's that secrecy thing again.

The government's concession was deemed so significant that CNN made it a lead story throughout the day. Predictably, CDC Director Gerberding rushed to the microphones to reiterate the agency's standard talking points in response to the Poling bombshell. "The government has made absolutely no statement indicating that vaccines are a cause of autism," said Gerberding. Apparently, this is the CDC's story and they are sticking to it. Meanwhile there are nearly 5,000 other claims filed on behalf of children diagnosed with autism awaiting review in vaccine court.

By the end of the day, news of the concession made headlines around the world and was one of the lead stories on every nightly news program. In a report for the CBS Evening News, reporter Sharyl Attkisson uncovered nine additional cases where the government awarded compensation to vaccine-injured children who developed autism.

There has been a lot of parsing of words and the expected "spin" about this decision from the usual sources. But none of these "opinions" changes the facts. Individuals can continue to argue whether or not vaccines cause autism, but there is no arguing that the government -- not a court or a judge -- the government's medical experts conceded this case having determined that vaccines DID harm little Hannah. Hannah Poling did not have autism before she received nine vaccines in one day, but soon after Hannah was diagnosed with autism. And the government's medical experts -- not a judge -- said this little girl should be compensated.

Of interest is the leaking of a second decision involving Hannah Poling filed on February 21st carried in a March 19th AJC op-ed by journalist/author David Kirby. The second concession states, "The cause for (autistic) encephalopathy in Hannah at age 19 months was underlying mitochondrial dysfunction, exacerbated by vaccine-induced fever and immune stimulation that exceeded metabolic reserves.

Kirby clarifies several misconceptions being reported in other news reports and makes several very good points.

1. Instead of health officials expressing concern for other children who may have experienced the same reaction as Hannah, parents are "met with stonewalling, denial, and misinformation.

2. Hannah's underlying condition was not a "rare" or "inherited" disease. Hannah was asymptomatic prior to receiving her vaccines and by all accounts developing normally.

3. The government still hasn't released either decision.

The conflicts of interest between CDC officials and the vaccine industry are vast, appalling and were detailed by UPI in 2003. "The Vaccine Conflict" is a must read for anyone concerned about industry influence on government agencies. The article provides shocking details about how the CDC collaborates with the vaccine industry.

Following a four-month investigation, UPI found:

In two cases in the past four years, vaccines endorsed by the CDC were pulled off the market after a number of infants and adults appeared to have suffered devastating side effects, and some died.

Members of the CDC's Vaccine Advisory Committee get money from vaccine manufacturers. Relationships have included: sharing a vaccine patent; owning stock in a vaccine company; payments for research; getting money to monitor manufacturer vaccine tests; and funding academic departments.

The CDC is in the vaccine business. Under a 1980 law, the CDC currently has 28 licensing agreements with companies and one university for vaccines or vaccine-related products. It has eight ongoing projects to collaborate on new vaccines.

Those are some very serious conflicts. So when Dr. Gerberding or any official rushes to the microphones to tell us vaccines don't cause autism we should consider the source and the implication for the agency if shown to be wrong.

If the CDC were capable of suppressing and minimizing the health risks associated in formaldehyde trailers or pollutants in the Great Lakes, why wouldn't they do the same with vaccines and their association with autism? Why should we trust an agency to tell us the truth about a public health disaster that they may have created?

Make no mistake; I am sure there are thousands of dedicated good people of conscience and science working inside the walls of the CDC. It is regrettable that the credibility of the entire agency is being tarnished.

The bottom line is this...we cannot have a public health system that suppresses health information and deceives the public. Period! Whether it is about chemical pollution, air quality in trailers, or immunizations. This is totally unacceptable both morally and ethically. There should be a zero tolerance policy for any government official who knowingly deceives the public about the safety of products we use and give our children.

America deserves better and it is time we start to demand better as if our lives, and our children's lives depend on it. Because the truth is...they do.

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ACHAMP commentary by Dr. Boyd Haley

by mercurymom on 04/05/2008

ACHAMP] Commentary by Dr.

Boyd Haley onCNN coverage

Vaccine-autism question divides parents, scientists

http://edition.
cnn. com/2008/ HEA...

Title :

Description :

ACHAMP] Commentary by Dr.

Boyd Haley onCNN coverage

Vaccine-autism question divides parents, scientists

http://edition.
cnn. com/2008/ HEALTH/condition s/03/24/autism.

vaccines/

To all: This represents the major problem parents of autistic children face in getting national public support. The very idea that “it is a parent versus science” debate. It isn’t-- all of the well done biological science supports an oxidative stress based illness and nothing reduces reduced glutathione better than mercury or organic mercury compounds. What else toxic is the autistic infant exposed to? The work by Holmes, Bradstreet, Hornig, Deth, Haley, Nataf, James, Lathe, etc. support the concept that a toxin has injured these children that is mercury based. Yet this science is never presented or discussed by the mass media---instead it is always a well educated CDC physician versus an emotional mother of an autistic child that seems to be highlighted. Sometimes, it is a single courageous physician (usually also the parent of an autistic child) presenting the argument. Nothing wrong with this, except it totally excludes the very hard fact that thimerosal has been proven to be one of the most toxic and, specifically neurotoxic, of compounds AND the biological systems affected in autistic children are those that are mercury sensitive.

Let’s see how many of the above listed researchers are interviewed in the CNN presentation on the “mystery of autism causation”. I will bet the farm that most of the research discussed will be the famous 5 epidemiological studies, paid for by the CDC, and done totally by foreigners who all now live in Europe and work for vaccine manufacturers. Also, 4 of these studies were done on foreign data bases and the “Danish studies done by Hviid” were done, according to their own published data, on a data base with less than 5 autistics per 10,000 while the rate in the USA was 67 per 10,000.

When will the mass media experts as the tough questions? Why hasn’t a premier USA university been commissioned to evaluate the possible causation between vaccine exposure and autism? Given the Amish report by Dan Olmstead this should have been done long ago. The rate of autism in the non-vaccinated population is where the answer to this question lies---and I am sincerely of the opinion that the CDC already knows the answer to this question. Let’s see if the study from the Medical Center in Mannitoba, Canada that showed an asthma rate of about 16% versus 5% on children vaccinated at 2 months versus 4 months of age will be discussed. It clearly shows a relationship between age of vaccination and an illness that has increased like autism.

This morning on CNN Dr. Gupta presented a piece on the observation of autism like symptoms in pre-term babies. I was shocked as I have talked to parents of autistic children who were born premature who were vaccinated on the day of birth even though these children are medically compromised. Go figure. In my opinion, our vaccine program is in the hands of incompetent individuals and Dr. Paul Offit proves this every time he speaks.

Boyd Haley

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Interview with President of National Autism Assn.

by mercurymom on 04/05/2008

http://www.turnto10.com/northeast/jar/health___fitness.html

Wendy Fournier does a great job in this interview....

Read the transcrip..see the clip..Jenny on Larry King

by mercurymom on 04/04/2008

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/02/mccarthy.autsimtreatment/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

CNN LARRY KING LIVE

Jenny McCarthy's Autism Fight

Aired Apri...

Title :

Description :

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/02/mccarthy.autsimtreatment/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

CNN LARRY KING LIVE

Jenny McCarthy's Autism Fight

Aired April 2, 2008 - 21:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, Jenny McCarthy and her relentless quest to help her autistic son. She says he has recovered from this mysterious condition. But there is no cure for the devastating disorder that affects millions.
On World Autism Awareness Day, there's information, there's help and hope for a terrifying disease that tears families apart. Autism: Solving the puzzle, next on LARRY KING LIVE.

We've got a major program tonight with lots of featured guests.

We begin, of course, with Jenny McCarthy, the actress and entertainment personality. Her son Evan has autism and she tells Evan's story in her best-selling memoir "Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism". She's also on our Web site today with a kind of brilliant episode about all of this.

What do you make of what CNN is doing today?

JENNY MCCARTHY: Oh, I think it's about time. I think they need to do a World Autism Day. It's a global epidemic. And it's not going to get any better until change is implemented.

Let's take a look at you and your special son, Evan.

Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY "LOUDER THAN WORDS")

MCCARTHY: Hi.

Who's that?

It's Evan.

I love you more than the size of the whole sky.

EVAN: I love you than the whole -- than the whole jungle right here.

MCCARTHY: What?

EVAN: Wow! Look at all the horses.

MCCARTHY: This is a beautiful horse barn, sir. Oh, no. Oh, no. Everybody watch out. There's a scary monster.

I love you more than all of the animals on the planet.

EVAN: And I love you then in outer space.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Damn, is he cute.

MCCARTHY: He is.

KING: You've shared his story before.

Give us a little history of Evan and autism.

MCCARTHY: Sure. Evan was diagnosed with autism just before the age of three. He started having seizures is what made me lead to look for more answers. One of the seizures went into cardiac arrest. It's something that we still, you know, have to deal with. But soon after those seizures, he was diagnosed with autism.

KING: What did you do about it?

MCCARTHY: Instead of, you know, leaving it as a dead end, you know, diagnosis, I went online and I found a community called Defeat Autism Now. And for 12 years, thank God, this community of doctors and scientists, who have been healing and treating kids with autism, I believed enough -- even though my pediatrician at the time said it's all bull -- and followed this treatment and my son got better.

And the amazing thing is that I want people to know first off -- because a lot of the things that we're going to talk about is vaccines -- is that I'm not, nor is the autism community, anti-vaccine. We're anti-toxin and we're anti-schedule. But the thing is, the way I treated Evan and the way a lot of the way these parents are treating their kids is not treating autism. We are treating vaccine injury and the kids are getting better.

KING: What do you mean by anti-schedule?

MCCARTHY: Well, the schedule back in '93 was 10 shots given. Today there are 36 shots given.

KING: Do you think that's too many?

MCCARTHY: Too many too soon. When I was on this show before, I said we need an alternate schedule. This is too much. We need to get rid of the toxins, the mercury -- which I am so tired of everyone saying it's been removed. It has not been removed from the shots. We'll get into that later more. Aluminum, ether, antifreeze -- these are toxic ingredients in shots that need to be removed.

KING: As you know, we'll have doctors here and some will agree with you, some don't.

What was the reason for the increase to so many shots?

MCCARTHY: Oh, God, I can't wait for you to ask that question. I actually have a shot, you know, schedule here that you can actually -- can you guys get in close on that?

This is not so good of a copy. But you can see 1983, the shot schedule was 10. Ten shots. Now widen out and take a look at the whole schedule now -- 36 shots given.

KING: Why?

MCCARTHY: And you visually see it. I'd like to know that. And we put our trust, as parents, in the pediatricians (INAUDIBLE).

KING: But the guess would be that discoveries were made...

MCCARTHY: The discoveries were made but, you know...

KING: ...to prevent new dis -- why wouldn't you want to prevent a disease that hasn't been prevented before?

MCCARTHY: Yes, but I think -- I personally haven't heard of that many people falling off the map that we needed to implement 26 new shots in this time. And isn't it ironic, in 1983 there was 10 shots and now there's 36 and the rise of autism happened at the same time?

And parent after parent after parent says I vaccinated my baby, they got a fever and then they stopped speaking and then became autistic.

KING: Is your link scientific or statistical?

MCCARTHY: Well, I believe that parents' anecdotal information is science-based information. And when the entire world is screaming the same thing -- doctor, I came home. He had a fever. He stopped speaking and then he became autistic. I can't -- I can see if it was just one parent saying this. But when so many -- and I speak to thousands of moms every weekend and they're all standing up and saying the same thing. It's time to start listening to that. That is science-based information. Parents' anecdotal is science-based information.

KING: Where is Evan on this autism spectrum?

MCCARTHY: Evan, after one year of treatment, the state came back over to evaluate him and said Evan no longer qualifies for any more autistic services -- autism services. So he's now...

KING: What do you mean?

MCCARTHY: He's done. He no longer qualifies. He goes to typical school...

KING: And you don't call him cured.

What do you -- you call him...

MCCARTHY: Let me explain that, recovered, because a lot of people get confused by that. You can't become cured from getting hit by a bus. And this is a really great analogy. But you can recover from getting hit by a bus. It's the same thing with autism. You know, these kids were mowed over. And they regained skills -- their skills back through therapy. And Evan regained all those lost skills that he once had after getting hit by that bus.

Now there's no cure. But you can be damn right that kid recovered. He recovered. Now I can't say cured, because I don't know what he would have been like before the bus hit him.

KING: So does any -- does Evan have any big difficulties now?

MCCARTHY: Evan -- seizures, we still worry about. He has a lot of gut issues. A lot of these kids still have a lot of medical issues. Sometimes he has problems with audio -- auditory processing. Other than that, he does not qualify with -- he's so-social. Everything is, you know, right on target. He's really a wonderful example of hope and possibility for parents out there.

KING: Great news.

Way ahead of where you were last time.

Jenny McCarthy is our guest. She's going to be sort of like our co-host throughout the entire hour, that (INAUDIBLE)...

MCCARTHY: Boy, am I.

KING: Boy, yes.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: She'll take over by 9:25.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY "LOUDER THAN WORDS")

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's time for parents around the world to know that they have a voice. It's time for people to start hearing us. Thousands and thousands of us are screaming for the same thing. And this is going to go down in history at a time when mothers fought the giant to save their babies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Jenny McCarthy remains with us, as she will throughout the entire show.

We're now joined by David Kirby. David is the author of a provocative "New York Times" best-seller, "Evidence of Harm." The subtitle is "Mercury in Vaccines and The Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy."

You're not a doctor, right, David?

DAVID KIRBY, AUTHOR, "EVIDENCE OF HARM": No, I'm a journalist. KING: What led you to this?

KIRBY: It was the politics of the situation, the Homeland Security Bill back in 2002. A bill was passed and a rider was slipped in to dismiss lawsuits against drug companies for having put this mercury-containing preservative into the vaccine.

KING: That's in the law?

MCCARTHY: Well, it was in the law and then it was rescinded and now it's -- this is the reason we have the vaccine injury court, so that these families can go in.

KING: That was the recent court in Atlanta, right?

MCCARTHY: That is correct. The case in Atlanta with Hannah Poling. And we're here to discuss this debate whether vaccines are related to autism or not. I'm here -- I've never said this before, Larry. This debate is over. Vaccines can trigger autism. It happened to Hannah Poling. It happened to many other kids. I've confirmed it. And we need to deal with this.

KING: When you began the study and the book, did you have a belief?

MCCARTHY: No. I was agnostic up until about two weeks ago. And as I've been reporting on this more and more, as I reported on The Huffington Post last week, there are many, many more Hannah Polings out there.

The reaction, Larry, should not be stop vaccinating. The reaction should be let's reform the vaccine program so that parents feel better about bring their kids in and that we can protect for immunity without the collateral damage that I do believe has happened in at least some autism cases.

KING: Jenny, will you agree that some cases have nothing to do with vaccines, which makes it more puzzling?

MCCARTHY: Absolutely. You know, environmental toxins play a role. Viruses play a role. Those are all triggers. But vaccines play the largest role right now and something needs to be done. You know, testing these kids for immune issues, you know, that would help so much, changing the schedule. You know, I don't understand -- as a precautionary measure, why don't they do this?

If everyone is screaming this and they're so worried about parents going into offices right now telling the pediatrician j everyone is going I'm too scared to vaccinate my child. This is the new parents' number one fear -- I am afraid to vaccinate.

I am not trying to start this global non-vaccinating world. I'm trying to implement change.

KING: David, if we know that, do we know why?

KIRBY: Well, one of theories that has evolved with Hannah Poling is this underlying mitochondrial dysfunction.

KING: What (INAUDIBLE)?

KIRBY: Mitochondria are the little batteries in each cell. They convert oxygen in food into energy. Hannah had a dysfunction of her mitochondria. She had low cellular energy. And what the government admitted in her case is her vaccines overloaded her system, it created vaccine-induced fever and an immune response that basically taxed her reserves.

Now, this is a minority of autism cases. We need to find out how many kids this happened to. We also need to find out what is causing this underlying mitochondrial dysfunction. Mercury and aluminum and environmental toxins are all suspects in this.

KING: In all honesty, this is to both of you -- you, Jenny, are you anti-vaccine?

MCCARTHY: No, I'm not, because if we had no vaccines, we'd have a very scary world.

KING: You're not against the polio vaccine, for example?

KIRBY: No. But I would like to see a different schedule. I would like -- I would like medicine and vaccines to be individualized to the child.

KING: Hard to do that, wouldn't it?

KIRBY: Well, I think it needs to be done.

KING: Are you anti-vaccine, David?

KIRBY: I'm not anti-vaccine at all. I'm pro-vaccine, actually. And I got a lot of criticism from some parents for that. But I think if we're going to do it, you get one chance to vaccinate your kid and do it properly and do it without causing harm. We are now learning with this mitochondrial dysfunction there is a DNA mutation that's passed down through the father. And we can start testing these kids for this mutation, which means they're more at risk for mitochondria dysfunction...

KING: Probably due to you, jenny, and programs like this, the percentage of children getting vaccinations is dropping.

Do you think that's good?

MCCARTHY: I think it's only good because it's the only thing that's going to shake up the CDC to do something about it. And, you know, it's a damn shame that we invited them here on this program on World Autism Day to come sit with us so I can ask them questions on behalf of the autism community. And they denied their appearance again, which, of course, they're going to give their statement.

And where are they? You know, my message to them from the community is this. They might have silenced some of our children, but they will never silence the mothers.

KIRBY: I think that's (INAUDIBLE)...

MCCARTHY: And we will keep talking until we see change. And you're damn right if I was pregnant and had a boy, I would be scared to vaccinate, too. You need to find a doctor that can find an alternate schedule. Generationrescue.org has three of them on there. Parents need to be tough right now.

KING: The CDC has sent us a statement which says, in part: "Parents who are watching your show tonight may have concerns about vaccinating their children and that's understandable.

However, they should know that current recommendations to vaccinate are based on years of scientific research by the world's foremost experts. If any parent out there is concerned, sit down and discuss your concerns with your child's doctor."

What do you make of that, David?

KIRBY: I agree with it. I wish the CDC would encourage parents earlier on, such as Hannah Poling's parents, gee, you might want to consider spreading out the vaccines. Now, they had no way of knowing that she was set up for failure and injury. She got compensated through the injury program.

We can't be afraid of this situation. We have to work to make it better.

KING: Do you agree with that statement by the CDC?

MCCARTHY: You know, they're...

KING: It looked like you didn't.

MCCARTHY: They seem to keep changing and softening. You know, I think -- I think they're realizing the tide has come in and now they're trying to hold back an ocean. And parents with -- you know, that are going into, you know, questioning vaccinations to their pediatricians -- the phone calls I get every week are, my pediatrician yelled at me and said, what, you don't trust me?

You need to trust me.

Well, our trust is broken. If people are listening to parents like us screaming at the top of our lungs this happened, of course, they're going to be scared.

KING: David, you stay with us.

And, Jenny, of course, you'll stay with us.

And when we come back, we'll be joined by three prominent physicians -- one kind of in the middle, one who agrees and one who disagrees, on this World Autism Day. This is our special look at this dreadful disease and what we can do about it.

We'll be right back.

A dog named Levi, a girl named Emily -- why he is the key to her living a normal life.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMILY: My life is so good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY "LOUDER THAN WORDS")

KING: We're back.

Jenny McCarthy and David Kirby remain with us.

We're joined by Dr. Jay Gordon, associate professor of pediatrics at UCLA Medical School. He recently released an educational DVD called "Vaccinations: Assessing the Risks and the Benefits." I have it right here in front of me. And he -- you are her son's doctor, right?

DR. JAY GORDON, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS, UCLA MEDICAL SCHOOL: Yes, I am.

KING: Dr. Harvey Karp is a fellow at the American Academy of Pediatrics, a best-selling author of "The Happiest Toddler on the Block" and does not believe there is scientific evidence of vaccine and autism linking.

And Dr. David Tayloe is president-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He also does not believe of the scientific evidence between vaccines and autism.

I've been calling it a disease.

It's a condition or a disorder, right?

Is that the correct term or anybody disagree?

DR. HARVEY KARP, FELLOW, AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS: Yes, you would have to say so, Larry, because it seems that there are multi- factors that influence it -- some genetic, perhaps some environmental. And so it seems more of a spectrum than a specific disease.

KING: All right, where, Dr. Karp, is David and Jenny and Dr. Gordon -- before we here from him -- where are they wrong?

KARP: Well, I think that most important, where -- let's start with where they're right, which is that we need to do something now to find out the reasons for children developing autism, because it is ramping up and it's something that we need to be concerned about. And they're also...

KING: Where are they wrong about the vaccines?

KARP: Well, they're wrong to say that we can -- well, they're -- number one, they're wrong to say that the vaccines are proven to cause autism. If you look at the studies -- and they're mounting up now...

(CROSSTALK)

KARP: ...over the last 12 years, you see that these studies show over and over again that mercury is not associated with autism, that measles vaccine is not associated with autism, that kids who have autism don't usually have an immunization that occurs right before the onset of their symptoms.

MCCARTHY: All of those are not independent studies, though.

KARP: Well, there are many, many studies and some studies have flaws and some studies don't.

(CROSSTALK)

KARP: But, for example, in California, if you look at what's happened with -- we took mercury out of the vaccines back in around 2002 and when you look...

MCCARTHY: Are you saying there's no mercury in the vaccines right now?

KARP: When you look at -- when we've taken out...

MCCARTHY: Are there any -- is mercury still in the vaccines (INAUDIBLE)...

(LAUGHTER)

KARP: We have removed...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just in flu vaccines.

KARP: We have removed...

GORDON: No, no.

MCCARTHY: That's it?

GORDON: No, the tetanus shot also has a full complement of mercury. And, by the way, I don't believe that -- I don't believe that we've proven that vaccines cause autism. I think they contribute to autism. I think that there are a lot of environment at least influences, many of which you know about more than anybody that I know. But vaccines do contribute to autism. They don't -- there's nothing proven.

KIRBY: I think we can't the aluminum content, as well, because that's been going up (INAUDIBLE)... KING: What does Dr. Tayloe think?

DR. DAVID T. TAYLOE, JR.. PRESIDENT-ELECT, AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS: Well, first of all, the childhood vaccine program is the most beneficial public health program in the history of mankind.

MCCARTHY: We know that (INAUDIBLE).

TAYLOE: And you must have immunization rates that approach 90 percent to keep diseases such as polio, measles, whooping cough and diphtheria from coming in here from countries. They're one plane ride away and we're that close to an epidemic.

So, for the American Academy of Pediatrics to want to change the immunization program, there would have to be medical evidence -- indisputable medical evidence that we ought to change it. Now...

MCCARTHY: But isn't parents'...

TAYLOE: ...we've changed it about six times just in the last 10 years. We changed the whooping cough vaccine, we changed the polio vaccine, we changed the rotavirus vaccine.

KING: Why are there so many?

TAYLOE: Because we've been able to develop ways to vaccinate children to prevent pain and suffering. Just in my practice, I've watched three children die of each of the different kinds of bacterial meningitis that we immunize for today. And it's tragic when that happens. I, in my practice, have not referred a child to the compensation program for a vaccine-related injury...

MCCARTHY: But do we really need all of these?

TAYLOE: ...and our practice has seen over...

MCCARTHY: Do we really need all of these, though?

TAYLOE: ...over a hundred thousand kids a year.

MCCARTHY: I mean honestly.

Let's look at this.

(CROSSTALK)

TAYLOE: They're recommended.

KARP: Which disease do you want your child to get?

(CROSSTALK)

KARP: Pick the one you want your child to get.

GORDON: That's not fair. That's not fair.

MCCARTHY: Let him talk for a minute.

Thank you.

GORDON: That's not fair. Nobody wants their child to get any of these diseases.

KARP: But that's the point.

MCCARTHY: Let him talk for a minute.

GORDON: What we have to assess are risks and benefits.

KARP: Sure.

GORDON: The risks of the -- of our vaccine schedule exceed the benefits. Nobody sitting here is anti-vaccine. Nobody is saying we've proven that vaccine -- David -- David Kirby's book is entitled "Evidence of Harm," OK?

The evidence is there. We have to address the evidence. We do not have respect for the instincts of our parents. We don't have respect for the immune system. The immune system is a complicated, complicated system in the body -- complex. We should not be giving the same dose of polio vaccination to a 10 pound baby as to a 180 pound adult.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you need scientific evidence that that's (INAUDIBLE).

GORDON: You need to prove it's safe that...

MCCARTHY: First.

GORDON: Yes.

KIRBY: There is a bill in Congress to study vaccinated versus unvaccinated populations in this country.

Doctor, would you support that legislation?

Would you?

TAYLOE: We support...

KIRBY: (INAUDIBLE)?

TAYLOE: We are not afraid of the truth at the American Academy of Pediatrics.

MCCARTHY: Well, will you support the unvaccinated/vaccinated study?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need that study.

TAYLOE: We support vaccine research and are leading (INAUDIBLE).

MCCARTHY: Has anyone looked at the (INAUDIBLE)... (CROSSTALK)

KIRBY: No, would you support a study of vaccinated versus unvaccinated children?

KING: The Amish don't vaccinate?

GORDON: No. And they have a very low incidence of autism and...

(CROSSTALK)

MCCARTHY: So why isn't anyone looking at that?

(CROSSTALK)

KING: We have so many guests ahead...

(CROSSTALK)

KARP: You know, we have to look at the fact that the Amish are a specific genetic group, as well.

KING: We've got to move ahead.

KARP: So you have to be very careful how you (INAUDIBLE).

KING: By the way, Dr. Gordon and Dr. Karp will return.

Thank you, Dr. Tayloe, for your brief participation.

We're going to do a lot more on this issue, though, and we'll have you back.

And, David, thanks very much. Great meeting you.

Do you think vaccines cause or contribute to autism?

Vote now at CNN.com/larryking.

We'll be right back.

One family's six children with autism -- how do they manage?

That's next on LARRY KING LIVE.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL

JOHN NORTON, FATHER OF SIX AUTISTIC CHILDREN: Every closet, everything has either a hook. That's where we -- that's the heater area. This is, of course, where we had a washer and dryer, so you have a hook there. We lock all doors. (INAUDIBLE) plywood. We slide it over, that's for this way. They can't get into the kitchen and destroy it. Now, this one here is the children's room. It does look an absolute disaster. No sheets on the bed because they don't stay on. We put them on and they're off within a few minutes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: We were in error.

Dr. David Tayloe of the American Pediatric Association does remain with us.

Before we meet that extraordinary family in Murray, Utah, Dr. Karp wanted to ask something, I believe, of Dr. Tayloe -- I'm sorry Dr. Gordon.

GORDON: We're all fellows of the American Academy of Pediatrics and we have been for decades. And the one thing that has always troubled me is that the American Academy of Pediatrics has accepted millions and millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical industry over the past decades. And those millions of dollars, I think, certainly could influence policy. And I don't know how -- I know that you are president, elect, is that correct?

KING: Does it influence policy?

TAYLOE: I would say it does not influence policy. We have very strict conflict of interest and ethical statements, and abide by the professionalism guidelines of the AMA and are very sensitive issues. Again, we're not afraid of the truth about vaccines. We're all for vaccine safety research, efficacy research, all of that.

(CROSS TALK)

KING: We've got to go to this family, guys. In Murray, Utah, John and Robin Kirton join us. All six of their children, all six, have autism. Now, life with kids would be a challenge under any circumstances. All six; here's a look inside the household from a documentary that will be on the Discovery Health Channel this fall. Then we'll talk with them. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KIRTON, HAS SIX AUTISTIC CHILDREN: Come to see Sarah get her diaper on? Sarah? Yes? See the diaper? Are you getting a diaper? There you go.

There you go. Eat your cereal. That's good.

ROBIN KIRTON, HAS SIX AUTISTIC CHILDREN: Do you guys know what I'm doing, Hun? What does it sound like I'm doing?

That's OK. Just a little spill. Do you want to wipe it? You're such a good helper. Yay! Such a good helper.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Kids range in age from, I guess, infant to 14. Bobby is the oldest. Are these all from the same marriage, Robin?

R KIRTON: No, my -- our oldest, Bobby, who's 14, he's from my first marriage. Otherwise, the rest of the children are from our marriage together.

KING: Why do you keep having children?

R KIRTON: We love children, Larry. We just -- that's the first thing I knew I wanted to do since I was a child, was to be a mother. And it's great. I know we're from the -- we have religious beliefs where families are a joyous thing. Families are forever. And we just love being parents.

KING: Are you Mormon?

R KIRTON: They're our greatest joy. Yes, we are.

KING: I believe that Jenny wanted to ask you something.

MCCARTHY: Hi, you guys.

R KIRTON: OK. Hi Jenny.

MCCARTHY: Hi there. My question is, so many parents tell me about their financial strain and how much autism costs. I'm wondering, that's just with one child. I can't even imagine what your expenses are to treat autism and deal with this. Can you give us a rough estimate per year?

J KIRTON: Per year? I guess we never actually figured it out. We just try to make it week by week, and day by day. Whatever needs are needed, we try and take care of the best we can. Whatever the guesstimates have been -- we had some people saying it's 500 extra a month for an autistic child. I think that's pretty optimistic.

R KIRTON: Yes. I'd say so.

KING: Dr. Karp, do you think there's a gene question here?

KARP: Like I said, to the best we know --

KING: Hold on.

KARP: There are multiple factors that are involved. I think that genes, we know, clearly are involved with some cases of autism. And we have to believe that there's an environmental risk as well. That's why we've looked so hard at mercury. We've looked so hard at the MMR vaccine. Those have not panned out in extensive studies.

One of the things that is an opportunity that we have now is to promote the National Children's Study, which is looking at 100,000 children from birth and seeing what chemicals they're exposed to. If we can follow children in their chemical exposures over the first several years of life, we have a good chance, really the best chance of our generation, to help solve the problem of what is it that's triggering in these children the autism that we're seeing.

KING: John, do you have the same pediatrician?

J KIRTON: Unfortunately, we haven't been able to have a steady pediatrician over the years. I mean, we moved here to Utah about five years ago. And obviously, we had some children before then as well. We've unfortunately had to bounce around. And as far as the thing that was mentioned earlier, as far as some of the causes, I mean, we know that autism is a spectrum disorder. We believe it's a spectrum of causes. That can be, of course, can be environmental. It could be genetics, obviously, maybe possibly in our situation. Could be just the environment, as far as around people where they live. Or, of course, with vaccinations as well.

We just feel that it causes a lot of thing. It's going to need a spectrum of treatments as well, Larry, because it could be a diet, or it could be a number of different things that could be tried. We're trying some sound therapies right now as well. We're trying a lot of different things.

KING: You guys have a lot of guts. John and Robert Kirton in Murray, Utah, all six children with autism. We'll be back with our group after this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The landmark court case linking vaccines and autism. We'll hear from the family that won the battle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERRY POLING, MOTHER OF AUTISTIC CHILD: I wanted to know why my daughter, who had been completely normal until getting nine vaccines in one day, was suddenly no longer there, no longer verbal, no longer responding.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Joining us now in Atlanta, Dr. Jon and Terry Poling. They were involved in a historic decision. They guested on this program I think the same night. Before we talk to the Polings, let's take a videotape look at their daughter Hannah, and a little bit about her story. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. JON POLING, FATHER OF AUTISTIC CHILD: Hannah got very sick shortly after a series of vaccinations that she received at about 19 months old. And after that rather acute illness, she never was the same again.

What does the mouse say?

HANNAH POLING, AUTISTIC CHILD: He can't talk.

J POLING: Does he make any sounds?

H POLING: Make another one.

T POLING: She just started to deteriorate over a period of time. She was very anorexic. She was not paying attention to her surroundings.

Are you finished with this?

H. POLING: Yes. Let it dry.

T. POLING: OK, we're going to move it over and let it dry. Do you want to do another one?

H. POLING: Yes.

T. POLING: OK, let's get you some fresh water.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The Polings won a historic decision. The federal government conceding that they should get money from the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. How is Hannah doing, Jon?

J. POLING: Hannah is doing very well. But it's up and down. It's almost like she's doing great and then it's like the tornado that hit Atlanta the other day sometimes.

KING: How did you feel, Jenny, when that verdict came down?

MCCARTHY: You know, it came down in the fall. And you guys were the first ones that really came out in the media, and we were like, finally. I was, needless to say, pleased that everyone got to see that I'm not the only one screaming and yelling the same thing, that we vaccinated and something happened.

KING: Were you surprised, Terry, that you won?

T POLING: Well, no, I wasn't. I was surprised that we didn't have to have a hearing. But I felt that we had a very strong case. And I was not surprised. But I do want to make one thing clear, Larry. There's a lot of talk out there that we had a hearing. And we absolutely never had a hearing. We had our affidavits and our medical records, and that was it. And one day we got an e-mail from our attorney telling us that the government has decided, after reviewing the medical records and affidavits, that they're conceding our case.

So when people say that there was expert testimony in our case, there was no expert testimony. There was no court hearing.

KING: Dr. Karp, how did you react to that?

KARP: Well, here's the thing; it appears that the vaccines may have pushed over -- you know, that Hannah has this mitochondrial disorder problem, and it may have aggravated that and pushed her over the edge. The vaccines are actually about 1,000 times weaker than getting the disease. We know that getting a high fever, getting illness can take someone with a mitochondrial disorder and push them into a decompensation. The concern --

(CROSS TALK)

KARP: Of course well do, but we don't all have the type of disorder that Dr. Poling has proven in his research.

GORDON: She has mitochondria, as we all have mitochondria. They became disordered.

MCCARTHY: Yes.

KARP: What we do know is that if you have -- if you get exposed to a vaccine, it's about 1,000th as strong as getting the disease itself. If you get Measles, the chance of getting encephalitis, the chance of getting pneumonia, the chance of getting a severe reaction to the Measles is about 1,000 times more than getting that reaction from vaccine.

GORDON: Those are old data. They are not good data. They were never good data.

KARP: They're excellent data. They've been demonstrated --

MCCARTHY: The fact that they say is rare. I think that Julie Gerberding of the CDC is going to have to eat her words.

KING: Think this is going to lead to other results?

MCCARTHY: Oh, my gosh. I will be on the front line of that.

KING: Thanks Polings. We'll be in touch. When we come back -- no, thanks, guys. We've got a lot of program tonight. We'll be back with our three doctors and Jenny right after this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: It gives new meaning to man's best friend. See how this dog has changed this six-year-old's girl's life. It's ahead on LARRY KING LIVE.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Anderson Cooper will host "AC 360" at the top of the hour. What's up tonight, Anderson?

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Larry, coming up at the top of the hour on 360, breaking news about the safety of air travel in this country. Four airlines are under investigation, accused of breaking FAA safety rules. There is going to be testimony tomorrow about it on Capitol Hill. Tonight on 360, you will hear from the whistle blowers before they tell lawmakers their stories. You simply will not believe some of their accusations.

Our investigative correspondent, Drew Griffin, is working the story as we speak. You'll only hear it at the top of the hour on 360.

Also tonight, Florida could be back in play for the Democrats. Just a couple weeks ago, it seemed like that state's delegates would not be counted, but today new life was breathed into the possibility their votes will count. We'll look at how the candidates are reacting, as well as give you the new and surprising polling data out of Pennsylvania. Is Barack Obama actually narrowing the gap there?

All that, and more, Larry, at the top of the hour.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Anderson Cooper, "AC 360," 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific. Jenny McCarthy's mate -- call him that -- Jim Carey, called in. He says, and I'll like you gentlemen to comment, vaccines are more of a profit engine than a means of prevention. And that's why there are so many vaccines. Is that true? Jay Gordon.

GORDON: I think that's partially true. Vaccines are hugely profitable. Vaccines make the pharmaceutical industry billions of dollars. They make my business billions of dollars. I don't believe that Dr. Taylor was influenced by the money the American Academy of Pediatrics receives. But I think that the American Academy of Pediatrics policies are influenced by this profit motive.

KING: What do you think of Jim's statement?

TAYLOE: I think vaccines are a very difficult way to make a profit in a pediatric practice, because the price of the newest vaccines are like 120 a dose, one dose. And the insurance companies don't want to pay us much more than that very bare-bones amount for all the costs we have with the vaccines. Then the administration fees are less than what's recommended by Medicare in most practices.

So physicians, as a rule, are taking a loss on vaccines in their practices. But we feel so committed to the public health effort, that we're going to do it. And just about half the children receive government funded vaccines, which are free vaccines that go to the states. There's no profit at all there. You just give the vaccine and then charge a government controlled administration fee.

So this is not a profit center for pediatrics. This is something that's for public health that we all do. And it's the right thing to do.

GORDON: That's disingenuous. The manufacturers of the vaccines make money. It may be a hard way to make money. Doctors sell vaccines or take an administration fee.

KARP: If I could just make a comment to this, which is that the cost to our society during the Polio epidemic that we had, during the -- from the cases of Meningitis that you and I saw when we were doing our training, the cost to the society, the financial cost, the human cost is immense. Allow me just to finish this.

MCCARTHY: All right. KARP: Which is that the investment that we make in prevention is -- a dime in prevention saves you a do